Ride or Walk to School

Active Streets

Try these fun cooking activities

One of the best ways for kids to learn about healthy food choices is to let them have some fun preparing and cooking food. This selection of food-related activities is sure to put healthy meals on plates… as well as smiles on faces!

Introduce students to a range of cooking challenges from basic to more challenging and create a supportive cooking environment.

Help students take their newfound food preparation skills home by encouraging students to try recipes for their families at home. Include parent/carer volunteers in classes.

Invite parents, carers and members of the community from various backgrounds to share cooking skills and recipes from different cultures.

Source fresh local produce for your recipes. Teach students about planning recipes and shopping for seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Create a poster with students to display common cooking terms or words they need to understand in the recipes they choose to prepare.

Teach students about hygiene and safety, including washing hands, handling/washing food, safe storage and safe preparation.

Teach students about cooking terms such as measurement, weight, volume, time, cups, spoons, fractions, and temperature.

Teach students about various kitchen utensils and what they do, using fun games such as a scavenger hunt.

Create a poster of definitions with students, to display common cooking terms or words they need to understand in the recipes they choose to prepare.

Teach students how to perform a ‘healthy makeover’ on a recipe using your knowledge of the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines. With just a few simple changes to ingredients and preparation methods, almost any recipe can be made healthier.

Visit a local hospitality training centre, such as CIT, to observe students preparing for dinner or lunch.

Create a recipe book of meals made at school (online and/or a hard copy) which students can use at home. This could even be a fundraising opportunity for the school.

Prepare take-home meals. Students can practise cooking a meal and take the recipe and ingredients home to cook the meal for their family.

Invite the Principal, teachers or a special guest to share a meal prepared by the students/participants. This could also become a cooking competition.

Note: Always be aware of children’s food allergies and religious cultural preferences, and also ensure you’re aware of students with medical conditions and treatment plans.

Supporting programs

Discover our programs

Discover our programs

Good Habits for Life

ACT Government is committed to improving the accessibility of web content.
To provide feedback or request an accessible version of a document please contact us or phone 13 22 81.
Good Habits for Life is part of the ACT Government’s Healthy Weight Initiative, supporting a healthy, active and productive community.